Crushed ice chute



Feb.' 14, 1933. A. L. BLATTI CRUSHED ICE CHUTE '2 sheets-sheet 1 FiledDeo. 51, 1930 Feb. 14, 1933.

A. L. BLATTI cRUsHD ICE GHUTE Filed Dec. 3l, v1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT L. BLATTI, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAILWAYS ICE COMPANY, A CORPORATION FDELAWARE CRUSHED ICE CHUTE Application led December 31, 1930. Serial No.505,763.

The present invention relates particularly to ice loading machinery forbroken ice, and has for its primary object an improvement in icc chutesused for the loading of refrigerator cars and the like and in whichthere is a hopper to receive the ice.

lVithin certain definite periods refrigerator cars, which are iced byblock or broken ice, have to be recharged with fresh ice.

Such renewals are generally made at the location of an ice factoryabutting the right of way and for facilitating the loading of the carsconveyors are arranged for the bringing of the ice to convenient pointsfrom whence such ice is loaded into the refrigerator car.

For many purposes, broken ice is requirec,

and the present apparatus is particularly useful in loading such brokenice into a refrigerator car through a hopper at the top thereof.

To further facilitate the loading of the ice, whether it be in block orbroken form, platforms may be built along the right of way at a heightapproximating or generally slightly above the top of the box car to beloaded. Such platform may comprise any suitable form of upright andtransverse member and may be of metal, wood, concrete, or othermaterial.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a mobile chuteadapted to be moved along such a platform to receive broken ice and todirect such broken ice into a hopper in the top of a. refrigerator car.

A further object of the invention is to pro- 5 vide a chute which may bemoved along such a platform in a convenient and easy manner and whichchute is not easily displaced therefrom.I but which is inexpensive tomanufacture and efficient in its result.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedstructure for a chute, of the character described, and one which lendsitself when disposed on a platform to ready handling for directing afioiv of broken ice into the hopper of a refrigerator car.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a new andimproved mobile chute.

These objects, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, areobtained by the novel construction, unique arrangement and improvedcombination of the various elements illustrated in thesingle embodimentof the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a chute made in accordance with theinvention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the form of the invention in Figure 1;-60

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view thereof; and

` Figure l is a detail showing an end section of the chute.

Like reference characters are used to designate similar parts in thedrawings and in the description of the invention hereinafter given. y

A rail 10 is supported along an edge of the platform 11 of the typehereinabove mentioned. Distributed along support member 10 are aplurality of brackets 12 having wings 13 and 14. Laid commonly upon thewings 14 is a rail 15 of any conventional type. The outer-face 16 of thesupport member 10 cooperates with the rail 15 to provide a track for thecarriage hereinafter to be described.

The chute comprises, at opposite sides thereof, flattened bars 17 and18, the bar 18' having a section 19 and an off-set section 20 opposed tothe bar 17. A round bar 21 having its ends 22 swaged is fabricatedintermediate the pair of bars 17 and 18. Wheels 23 having a peripheralcontour to conform to the rail 15 are disposed to run thereon. Extendingthrough the wheels 23 are axles 24 which are engaged at opposite sidesof the wheels by vertical sections of U-shaped pieces .25. The longerand outer legs of the pieces 25 extend below the track 15 where they areturned inwardly to form flanges 26, there being apertures in saidflanges. Between the outer leg of each U-shaped piece 25 and a member 29is a spacer plate 28. A horizontal section of the strap-like member 29lies flatly against the bar 17 and another section 30 thereof is bent toproject below an inturned section 26 in Vparallelism therewith and tocontain a bearing in registry track 15 to clear the horizontal sectionsof the brackets l2.

Hinge straps 35 are distributed along an edge of an apron 36 at itsunder side. Flat sections 37 of the hinge members may be engaged to theapron 36 by any standard fastening means 3:8. .A curved .section 39 ofthe hinges engages the rod 21 and a flange 40 of the apron is turneddownwardly over the ends of the sections 39 to add a nished appearanceto the device and to strategically assist the sections 29 to retaintheir curved formation.

The sheet of material from which the apron and chute .are formed is of ageneral Yl-shape there being uptnrned sections 41 to form aids for theapron. The flat bottom ofthe apron designated by the numeral 42. Acurved configuration is given to the chute proper 47 with edges 48thereof extending above .a plane ythrough its longitudinal axis.

About a .common section of the chute and apron there may be placed ametal .strap 49 and in a manner that its two upper ends are broughttogether to commonly join a twisted strap 50. A U-shaped handle member52 has a front side 51 adapted to be engaged by the upper endof .thelink 510, the back ends of the U-shaped member extending to engage abrace member 54. Side sections 53 of the member 54 serve as braces forthe sides r41 of Ythe chute 47.

The platform 11 and track 15 may extend for the length of several carsthat are to be supplied with ice. In all instances the platform will beabove the car openings that are to be filled. When it is desired to movethe apron and .chute from one car Iopening to another, whether thatopening be in the same car or in a .different one, the attendant, whowill usually be upon the platform 10, may reach over and grasp thehandle 52 to lift the chute upwardly vabout the rod 21 yuntil it is `ina .balanced position above the said rod. 7hen the chute is in thisposition it may be 4conveniently held bythe handles 56 to push itwalongthe track. Also the handles 56 provide a convenient means fora person ona lcarto manipulate the chute. After the carriage has been movedopposite to the opening that it is desired to supply with ice, the chutewill be lowered to place its extended end in registry with such opening.

Special attention is directed to the manner in which the track iscarried in the side of kthe platform and so that no parts thereof pro-`noted that there is ample space between the pivoted rod 21 and thetrack 15 to clear the flange 40 when the chute is pivoted to thevertical position. An upright position .of the chute .carriage upon the.track with the rollers 31 against the rollingl surface 16 is insuredbecause the vpintlerod 21 is set outwardly from the track 15v so thatthe weight Lof the chute tends to pivot the Acarriage .about said trackto press .the rollers against the rolling surface. Y Y

I claim:

An ice loading device comprising a chute having an .apron top extensionto receive broken ice, means for supporting said apron comprising alongitudinal member upon which the upper edge of said extension ispivoted, wheels at the ends of said longitudi- Ynal member and havingaxes of revolution in substantially the same horizontal plane .as theupper edge of said apron extension, `a track for said wheels and overwhich said longitudinal member rides, a support for said track, andmeans depending below said horizontal member and the edge of .said-exvtension and engaging said support beneath said track for preventingtilting of said longitudinal member in the direction of said apron andchute. p Y

ALBERT L. BLATTI.

